San Francisco has been a-buzz all week in anticipation of Velvet Rage Production’s Sex and the City: Live, which begins its run tomorrow night.  We sat down with the organizers to learn their secrets to the incredible word-of-mouth marketing that the show has already generated! Here are their tips on how to add some fabulous to your next event:

1. Appeal to locals as well as tourists. As with any event, it’s important to think about your audience. Velvet Rage Productions works hard to create events that are a bit edgy, so they appeal to the hip local audience, but are fun and ‘safe’ enough for tourists who want to sample some local San Francisco flavor. Their parodies are unique and fabulous, but also familiar, which resonates with both audiences.

2. Create events that are relevant. Like any event organizer, Velvet Rage Productions has had some hits and misses. They find that the key to their success is to create shows that people can relate to by using current events, iconic personalities, or in the case of SATC, a show that is still in syndication today. Before you start marketing your event, take a long look at what sets your event apart from others, and focus on those points when promoting it!

3. Learn to work with the space you’re given. Sex and the City: Live is performing at a non-traditional theatre space. When working with spaces not set up to normally house theatrical events, it is important to be creative. Not only in staging, sets and props, but in audience flow and timing, too.

4. Keep in mind that ‘campy’ can work.  Adding risque humor to a show that was considered sexy and, for it’s time, transgressive, Velvet Rage Productions strives for “Sex And The City: Live” to be the most campy theatrical experience happening in San Francisco. They keep things weird by having drag queens play the parts of the four main characters and encouraging attendees to enjoy Cosmopolitans before, during and after the show. Recently, Sex and the City creator Darren Star attended their show and proclaimed, “I loved it! It was funnier than the TV version!”

5. Let your audience be your marketing machine.  In today’s social-media savvy world, giving your audience ample opportunities to share their experiences with their social networks is key to your grassroots success. For example, after every show Velvet Rage allows audience members to take photos with the characters from the show. Attendees then share the photos on their various social networks, which helps to spread the word of mouth buzz about the show. This small gesture not only makes the audience special by getting to interact with the cast, but it also helps drive ticket sales for future events!

Want to learn about other events going on in San Francisco? Be sure to follow @BriteSF!